CEBU, Philippines - After nailing a hard-earned victory in the opener, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-Adc) Magis Eagles shoot for no less than a commanding 2-0 lead against the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers tonight in Game 2 of the best-of-five juniors division finals of the 12th CESAFI basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.
Of course, the Baby Lancers are expected to go all-out in their bid to even up the series, but their resiliency must be proven in their 5:30 pm duel with the Magis Eagles.
Scoring an 80-76 win, the Magis Eagles did it from behind as they have to dismantle a 52-62 deficit before taming the Baby Lancers for the third time this season - thanks to the game-long brilliance of spunky playmaker Arc Gabriel Araw-Araw.
Leading MVP contender Henric Dawn Ochea was not in his usual best in Game 1, but his late free throw hits allowed the Magis Eagles to stay in the game until the closing seconds.
Should Ochea restore his stellar performance today, the Baby Lancers are surely in great danger, much more if Jair Igna also comes back with fury after a sloppy showing the other day.
Miguel Competente, Fletcher Galvez, Felixbeto Jaboneta Jr., and Arnie Padilla are on call to support Ochea, even as the Magis Eagles can also drew offensive firepower from Thomas Senining and Giovanni Laguyo.
On the part of the Baby Lancers, reigning juniors MVP Andres Paul Desiderio must get sufficient support from the rest of his teammates if they want to overcome the overwhelming odds stuck against them. (FREEMAN)